The Threat
by Phanfan925
Summary: Happens BEFORE "Into The Wild" The connection between the clans and their warrior ancestors is in grave peril. Swiftpaw from Windclan has been having dreams she believes are sent from Starclan.But she may discover that the dreams don't involve her at all.
1. Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

**WindClan**

**LEADER****: SILVERSTAR**-Gray tabby queen, dark blue eyes.

**APPRENTICE, ROBINPAW**

**DEPUTY: ****GRAYSTORM**-Dark gray tom, copper eyes.

**MEDICINECAT****: SPOTTEDPELT**-White and brown, green eyes.

**WARRIORS****:**

**THORNSCAR**-Gray tom with long scratch on his

back.

**WHITECLAW**-White tom with black ears and

big blue eyes.

** MUDSTREAK**-An intelligent brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, BLUEPAW**

**GRASSWHISKER**-Brown tom with a black underbelly.

**DUSTFUR**-Light Cinnamon tabby tom with

brown eyes.

**ICETAIL**-Creamy furred she-cat with a brown head, paws,

and tail, light blue eyes.

**MISTYFUR**-Gray she-cat, green eyes.

**GUSTSTORM**-Handsome gold tom cat.

**APPRENTICE, SWIFTPAW**

**CLOUDBREEZE**-Young white she-cat.

**FOGWHISKER**-Black and white tom with green

eyes.

**APPRENTICE, BLACKPAW**

**SMOKEFIRE**-Black furred tom with pale gray eyes.

**APPRENTICES:**

**BLUEPAW**-Grey tom, yellow eyes.

**ROBINPAW**-Ginger-red she-cat, white under-

belly and paws with gold eyes.

**SWIFTPAW**-Light gray she-cat with white paws

and blue-aqua eyes.

**BLACKPAW**-Beautiful black she-cat with white

paws and green eyes.

**QUEENS****:**

**BUSHTAIL**-Small brown queen.

**ELDERS****:**

**SOREFOOT**-Old black tom with a bad foot.

**CLAWEDPELT**-Brown tom with many scars.

**ThunderClan**

**LEADER****: GOLDSTAR**-Black tom with gold patches.

**DEPUTY****: FIRETAIL**-Red tabby tom.

** APPRENTICE,** **PINEPAW**

**MEDICINECAT****: GENTLENOSE**-White she-cat.

**WARRIORS****:**

**SEEDTAIL**-Pretty calico she-cat.

**APPRENTICE, ELMPAW**

** HAWKCLAW**-Muscular tabby tom.

**FROSTFLAKE**-White and grey she-cat.

**LIZARDSTRIKE**-Black tom.

**EMBERCLAW**-Dark ginger she-cat.

**OAKTOOTH**-Mottled brown she-cat.

**APPRENTICES****:**

**PINEPAW**-Big gray tom.

**ELMPAW**-Skinny tabby tom.

**QUEENS:**

NONE

**ELDERS****:**

**FOXPELT**-Old tortoiseshell she-cat.

**RiverClan**

**LEADER****: SEASTAR**-Ginger and brown tom.

**DEPUTY****: DEWDROP**-Blue gray she-cat.

**APPRENTICE,** **BUBBLEPAW**

**MEDICINECAT****: TROUTTAIL**-Black tom with yellow eyes.

**WARRIORS:**

**RAINPELT**-Sleek black tom, blue eyes.

** SHOREFUR**-Gray tabby tom.

**BONETAIL**-Handsome Burmese tom.

** SUNNYSHORE**- Gold and tortoiseshell she-cat.

**APPRENTICES:**

**BUBBLEPAW**-Brown she-cat.

**QUEENS:**

**RAINBOWTROUT**-Pretty tortoiseshell queen.

**ELDERS****:**

**FLATFACE**-Ugly tom with squished in face.

**ShadowClan**

**LEADER****: SHADESTAR**-Dark Gray tom.

**DEPUTY****: GHOSTWHISPER**-Black tom with amber eyes.

**MEDICINECAT: ****FERNSHADOW**-Dark ginger she-cat.

**APPRENTICE, MUSHROOMPAW**

**WARRIORS:**

**CARRIONFUR**-Brown and black tom

** DEADCLAW**-Dark gray tom.

** APPRENTICE, DEATHPAW**

**APPRENTICES****:**

**DEATHPAW**-Ginger tabby she-cat.

** MUSHROOMPAW**-Dark grey tom, brown eyes.

**QUEENS:**

**DARKHEART**-Beautiful lilac she-cat.

**ELDERS:**

** NIGHTTAIL**-Old she-cat.

**Cats outside of Clans**

** SAND**-Vicious ginger tom with sharp claws.

**MIA**-Timid calico queen kittypet.

**(All characters belong to me, if they have similar names or designs to your warriors OCs it's not my fault, warriors (c) Erin Hunter)**


	2. The Ceremony Concerning the Threat

The sky above fourtrees was bright with glittering stars, and the four great trees surrounding the rim of the ancient clan meeting-place stood majestically around the Great Rock against the star filled sky.

Suddenly, the leaves of the trees began to rustle as a strange wind that sounded like whispering voices swept through the clearing. Above Fourtrees, each of the stars began to move slowly at first, but faster with each passing second. Then the stars spiraled down out of the sky toward the ground. As each of the stars landed on the clearing, they turned into a shimmering cat with glowing eyes.

Soon the clearing was filled with cats as far as the eye could see, four of the cats even sat on the Great Rock. These cats on the Great Rock had an air of importance about them, they held their head high and their muscles rippled beneath their shining pelts.

Once all the cats had been gathered and the sky was empty, a large ginger tom with white paws yowled for attention on top of Great Rock.

"Cats of Starclan," he meowed importantly. "We are gathered here today because Mothflight has had a vision that could affect the future of not only the four forest clans, but Starclan's as well."

The tom nodded to a fluffy white she-cat, who padded forward from the crowd. She leaped onto Great Rock and turned to face the mass of warrior spirits that made up the legions of Starclan.

"Tonight I have had a strange dream," Mothflight began. "I saw a large wall of water that came crashing towards Mothermouth, rain was pounding on the ground and in the distant background I heard the howling of dogs…"

The Starclan cats shivered in fear as Mothflight described the terrifying dream. They were fearful that this dream would come true, Mothermouth lead to Moonstone, the sacred bright stone that Starclan used to communicate with their descendants. If the Hightstones were flooded, Starclan would loose all contact with their warrior descendants. That was why the Starclan cats were frightened, without Starclan's guidance the clans of the forest were doomed for utter destruction.

"I think that this dream means something important," Mothflight continued. "And that we should do something about it before it happens…"

"But how do we know for sure, this could all be a lie!" a black she-cat behind the ginger tom interrupted Mothwing angrily and without reason.

"Calm yourself Shadow, this is no time for unnecessary argument," a gray tom with large, unblinking amber eyes spoke up from the crowd.

"Stay out of this Owlstar," Shadow hissed at the gray tom.

"No Shadow, _you _stay out of it, my former deputy is right," the ginger tom said quietly without looking at her.

Shadow glared at the ginger tom, but reluctantly sat down and didn't say another word.

Mothflight smiled gratefully at the ginger tom and murmured, "thank you, Thunder," under her breath.

Thunder nodded briefly at Mothflight, gesturing for her to continue.

"As I was saying, in order to stop this catastrophe, we must pick a cat to save Highstones," continued Mothflight, this time she managed to finish with no interruptions.

"A Windclan cat," sudden;y blurted out a skinny brown queen on top of the Great Rock. "Windclan lives closest to Highstones, it is our duty to protect it."

A light gray tom sitting next to brown queen shook his head slowly.

"I think a Riverclan cat deserves the honor of saving Highstones, and after all, Mothflight said there may would be a flood, according to her dream, and we all know that Riverclan cats are best at swimming," he said.

"River, Wind, I have a solution..." Mothflight said to the two arguing leaders.

"If you will just listen for a moment, I will tell you my plan…"

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><p><strong>AN: I don't own any of the characters in this chapter, they all belong to Erin Hunter.<strong>

**Cats in this chapter: (c) Erin Hunter Warriors**


	3. An Apprentice

Swiftkit tossed and turned in the nest, then looked at the sky in anticipation for the fiftieth time. The moon was hanging high in the sky, which meant that there was still a long time to go before sunrise. Moaning, Swiftkit buried her face in her moss-covered nest that she shared with her sister and mother. She couldn't wait any longer for the sun to rise, her apprentice ceremony started today and she had been thinking about it all night.

Her sister, Blackkit stirred next her and open beautiful green eyes.

"I can't sleep," she mewed. "I'm too excited."

"Me too," Swiftkit replied.

"Just think, in the morning we'll be _apprentices_!" Blackkit squealed eagerly.

"I know, I've waited six moons for this and now it's finally time! Uh-oh, mom is waking up…"

Nearby, a small chocolate coloured queen stood up and stretched. Yawning, she padded over to her two kits and looked at them sternly.

"I know you two are excited, put you need to get some sleep," Bushtail said firmly.

Swiftkit and Blackkit lowered their heads and tails sadly and shamefully, and after a moment their mother sighed with exasperation.

"How about I sleep with you, will that help you go to sleep?" she asked softly.

"I think so," Swiftkit mewed quietly.

Bushtail lay down and curled around her kits, licking them tenderly on the cheek.

"I'll miss my beautiful daughters when they're in the apprentice den. I know you'll great warriors one day…" whispered Bushtail before coiling her tail around her kits almost possessively.

Then the small brown queen purred kindly before finally falling asleep.

With their mother wrapped around them, the kits eventually fell asleep as well, dreaming of serving their clan in battle as apprentices…

Swiftkit awoke next morning with her mother gently prodding her side.

"Time to wake up, the ceremony will start soon," she whispered quietly in Swiftkit's ear.

Swiftkit immediately sprang to her feet and glanced at the sky, it was after sunrise! She was going to be late for the ceremony! How was she going to be a good apprentice if she already was late for her apprentice ceremony!

"Blackkit wake up, we slept in!" Swiftkit said urgently to her sister.

Blackkit scrambled onto her feet and looked around.

"It's all right," Bushtail soothed to Blackkit, who was really panicking now. "You are not late yet, the ceremony doesn't start for another few minutes."

Swiftkit sighed, relieved that she had not missed her apprentice ceremony.

Swiftkit looked at her dull, matted pelt disgustingly and thought, _I can't become an apprentice looking like this!_ So Swiftkit began to clean her fur. She licked her stomach and paws while her Mother helped wash the fur she couldn't reach. Soon Swiftkit's coat shone like the stars of Starclan, and it was nearly time for the ceremony.

"Let all cats of Windclan join here beneath the Tall rock for a clan meeting." Silverstar's voice drifted into the nursery.

All of a sudden, Swiftkit couldn't move! She was so nervous it was like her paws were glued to the floor. Bushtail pushed Swiftkit out of the gorse wall of the nursery with a shove, and nudged her to the base of Tall rock.

Unlike Swiftkit, Blackit bounded out of the nursery happily. Her excitement was so obvious that a few senior warriors giggled with amusement as she passed by.

Swiftkit looked around the clearing and watched the clan gather for the meeting. Sorefoot and Clawedpelt crawled out of the elders den grudgingly, with Spottedpelt behind them. The clan's medicine cat had been treating Sorefoot's aching leg, again. Robinpaw came out of the apprentice den alone since her littermate, Bluepaw, was hunting with his mentor Mudstreak.

Swiftkit remembered hearing about the day Mudstreak had arrived in Windclan from Clawedpelt, when she had only been a few moons old. Clawedpelt had said that Mudstreak had actually come from a tribe in the mountains, and that he used to be called Muddy stone in river. Clawedpelt also said that Mudstreak got his warrior name because of the mud that was coated on his pelt when he met a patrol of Windclan cats. Swiftkit found this story hard to believe, but it did explain why Mudstreak had such a thick accent. **(Author's Note: Yes, he is from the Tribe of Rushing Water, it's very possible that a member of The Tribe once had a bit of contact with The Clans before the series started.)**

Once the clan was assembled, Silverstar looked down from the Tall rock and began to speak:

"Today, Blackkit and Swiftkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is about time they became apprentices."

"Blackkit, come forward."

Trembling with barely contained excitement, Blackkit climbed the Tall rock and stood next to Silverstar.

"From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Blackpaw." announced

"Fogwhisker, come here."

Swiftkit watched as a young black and white tom came out of the crowd, scaled the Tall rock, and then sat quietly by Blackpaw and Silverstar.

Silverstar smiled at her kit fondly. Whiteclaw and Silverstar were Fogwhisker, Smokefire and Cloudbreeze's parents. The three littermates had only just got their warrior names two sunrises ago.

"You will train Blackpaw, you were taught by one of my best and most experienced warriors, Thornscar, and I expect you to teach Blackpaw all you know."

Fogwhisker nuzzled Blackpaw briefly on the nose, before leaving the Tall rock. Blackpaw looked so giddy she looked as if she might burst.

"Swiftkit," Silverstar beckoned to Swiftkit with her tail.

Gulping, Swiftkit scrambled up the Tall rock. She had a hard time climbing it, since it was so high and there were hardly any places to grab hold on it's smooth surface.

Once at the top, Swiftkit panted for a few seconds and looked down. Everyone looked so much smaller from up on the Tall rock, and standing up there made her feel important and powerful.

Silverstar looked at Swiftkit out of the corner of her deep blue eyes and smiled encouragingly.

"Swiftkit is now ready to be an apprentice. Until you are a warrior, you will be called Swiftpaw. I ask Starclan to guide your paws on the path to being a warrior."

_I wonder who will be my mentor? _wondered Swiftpaw, looking at every potential cat:

Icetail had never had an apprentice, Thornscar's last apprentice had been Fogwhisker, and Smokefire wanted to have an apprentice so he could be deputy.

Smokefire stared at Swiftpaw with a piercing stare of desire, his pale gray-blue eyes burning into her fur. Swiftpaw shifted uncomfortably, the black warrior was ambitious and had wanted to be leader since before she could remember, but without an apprentice, his hopes were slim… It was not as if Smokefire would be a _bad _mentor, in fact, he was an amazing warrior, but Swiftpaw still felt as if he was a little _too _ambitious… **(Author's Note: No, Smokefire is not a Tigerstar clone, he isn't even an important character.)**

"Guststorm, you will train Swiftpaw. You are strong and smart and I hope you will pass these qualities on to Swiftpaw," announced Silverstar.

Guststorm! Swiftpaw could not believe she had forgotten him! Although Swiftpaw had only gotten a few quick glimpses of him from the inside of the nursery, it was said that he was one of the best hunters in the clan.

Smokefire scowled as a handsome golden tom-cat padded to the Tall rock. Swiftpaw watched as he leaped onto the rock in two great bounds, and as he bent down to touch noses with her, Swiftpaw noticed that his green eyes were intelligent, kind and warm.

Now that the ceremony was complete, the clan began to cheer and chant.

"Blackpaw, Swiftpaw, Blackpaw, Swiftpaw!"

Swiftpaw grinned with new-found pride, her fear abandoned, for she was finally an apprentice of Windclan! And nothing was going to stand in her way!

* * *

><p><strong>(Author's Note: The plot will soon thicken... *cough-cough* Swiftpaw may be the main character, but she actually isn't the "hero" in the story, that is yet to be revealed...)<strong>

**Review Please :)**


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